The First Keeper
by frenchfries180
Summary: - The Infinity Keepers - Part 1: The Search For Derobi - Book 1: The First Keeper - Only a couple of years after the end of the Great Depression, Katherine Stark finds herself pulled into the Second World War by her brother, Howard. Through becoming involved in the SSR, Kat realizes that her life will never be the same, no matter how long it may seem to last.
1. Chapter 1

June 14, 1943

Location: Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York

The night sky was beautiful. Explosions of color and light brightened the darkness. Hidden behind the fireworks and moving spotlights, stars dotted the landscape. Its allure could not be matched, and in a way, it reminded me of Howard's genius. He had done well for himself. It was difficult for anyone to rise above the economic status of their parents. Our's weren't poor, but they weren't rich either. Despite it, Howard strove to rise as far as he could. He became a mechanical engineer before later starting his own company. His genius earned him a spot on Project Rebirth and the SSR.

Having sponsored the event, Howard used the World Exposition as his way of enlightening humanity of his success. The limelight breathed life into his pride, and he soon refused to live without it.

As the different displays came into my eyes' view, an announcer's voice echoed through the loudspeakers. "Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world."

If only our parents had lived long enough to see this. They would've been so proud of him.

The Synthetic Man had been holding my attention when clapping and music took hold of it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!" one of five showgirls announced.

Howard appeared from backstage, his signature smirk clear as day.

I rolled my eyes as he handed his hat to his female announcer and kissed her. What is it with Howard's obsession with women?

"I love you, Howard!" a voice called out from the crowd.

The women equally obsessed with him destroy any chance of his problem disappearing.

Howard wiped his mouth with a handkerchief as the girls walked behind the red sedan onstage. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"

The girls took off the tires of the car to show the anti-gravity wheels in their place.

"Yes. Thanks, Mandy," he said, moving the control panel out of the way so the showgirl could pass. "With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, you'll be able to do just that." Howard smirked as he turned a dial, making the wheels hum. As he pushed the slider knob on the control panel up, the car lifted off the ground.

My eyes widened as he smiled at the crowd, gesturing to the floating car. Would it work this time?

The answer came when the wheels' humming turned to groaning. They sparked before giving out, the sedan falling the few feet back down to the ground. Everyone, myself included, jumped at the loud bang.

I sighed. I told him the prototype wasn't ready.

Even though the presentation failed, the crowd applauded him.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" he said, leaning against the control panel. As was his nature, he attempted to play off his embarrassment.

I pushed my way through the crowds as those around me dispersed. Searching my surroundings, I finally found what I was looking for: the United States Armed Services Recruitment Office.

Once inside, I let my gaze linger on the frames hung on the walls. The posters held inside spewed out propaganda to lure Americans into buying war bonds.

Eighteen months had passed since the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the U.S. into the war. In that time, countless men had given their lives. An empty, hollow feeling I had no name for would fill me as my mind turned to the men forced into the war. The draft ripped them from their families and homes while throwing them into an environment they had never experienced. Laws forbid women from taking part in combat, but a small part of me longed to help in that way.

With a deep sigh, I focused my attention on a balding gentleman who walked out of the office. "Good afternoon, Dr. Erskine."

"I assume the reason you wanted to meet was to discuss Project Rebirth, correct?"

He isn't usually that direct. "Yes."

He sighed.

"You have been working on the Project for the SSR since Agent Carter rescued you from Germany. If I'm not mistaken, that was almost three years ago. It has been a year and a half since you and Howard finished the serum. We have been waiting for you to select one of the many candidates the Colonel has provided." I crossed my arms as I raised my eyebrows. "You cannot blame us for being concerned when you reject every possibility."

His annoyance was clear. "What the Colonel does not understand is I am looking for something in particular."

"A physical characteristic?"

He waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "The physical does not matter. It is the character of the man that is important."

"There must have been at least one man somewhat close to what you have looked for."

"If I had found such a candidate, we wouldn't be having this discussion. The candidates I reviewed before speaking to you did not look promising."

"They never look promising!"

"You must be patient. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so—"

"Yes, yes. 'Good becomes great, bad becomes worse.' I understand. You've told me several times."

"Then you will understand why I am forced to be cautious."

Before I could say anything else, two men exchanged words loud enough to catch our attention.

"This isn't a back alley, Steve," the brunette said. "It's war."

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me—"

"Why are you so keen to fight? There's so many important jobs."

Steve huffed. "What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?"

"Yes! Why not?"

"I'm not going to sit in a factory, Bucky," he said firmly.

"I don't—"

"Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. I've got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right," Bucky said, an edge in his voice. "'Cause you've got nothing to prove."

Bucky was displaying strength to force Steve to see his side. But he wasn't strong. The man was barely keeping himself together as he tried to keep his fear hidden from his friend. Was he selected for the draft? It would explain his tense stance. Through the draft, thousands of men like him were forced into war while his best friend wanted nothing more than to fight. Bucky wanted to protect Steve from the horrors he would face.

Steve's determination only added to Bucky's growing desperation. While Steve had a strong will, his physical strength could not compare. From where the Doctor and I stood, I only had a view of his back. Steve was shorter than average for most men around his age. With almost no muscle on his body, he was unhealthily thin. His determination would never result in him joining the army. He would never have the one thing his heart desired more than anything. What would make a man so selfless? To make a man be so determined to fight for his country, even though he most likely wouldn't survive?

"Hey, Sarge!" a feminine voice called from outside the office. "Are we going dancing?"

"Yes, we are," Bucky answered, his eyes traveling back to Steve. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Bucky shook his head, smiling slightly. "You're a punk," he said as he pulled Steve into a hug.

"Jerk."

They patted each other on the back before letting go.

"Be careful."

Bucky walked away, heading into the crowd.

"Don't win the war 'til I get there."

He turned to Steve, a promise sealed in the salute he gave.

Steve observed Bucky's disappearing form. Whatever was going through his mind, he quickly pushed it aside as he turned.

As he walked past, he noticed our gazes. In the second his blue eyes connected with mine, he unknowingly created something in me: a magnetic pull that drew me toward him. Something about him intrigued me, yet I didn't know what it was.

Dr. Erskine's gaze was questioning, but I ignored it.

We followed Steve, walking around the corner and into the office as an examiner took him into one of the side rooms.

Our arrival drew the attention of a nurse. She sent a kind smile our way from behind the front desk. "Dr. Erskine, have you come to look at more of the files?"

"One in particular."

"Do you have a name?"

I nodded. "Steve."

"Rogers?" she asked.

I wasn't sure. "He came through a few moments ago."

She opened one of the many files on her desk, her eyes scanning the page before handing it to me.

There shouldn't have been this much information on one man. Why were there so many pages?

He had lied on his enlistment forms, that much was clear. His medical information was the same, but any information he had provided was different. I couldn't have been the only one to notice it. Why had the office not already dealt with this?

I had been right in assuming he had health problems. He had asthma, scarlet and rheumatic fever, sinusitis, frequent chronic colds, high blood pressure, palpitations, easy fatigability, heart trouble, and "nervous trouble of any kind". He had even had household contact with someone who had tuberculosis; and had a parent with diabetes, cancer, stroke, or heart disease. Any one of those could have killed him.

Steve's determination made sense. Someone this infirmed would have been sheltered their entire life. Steve wouldn't have been allowed to play outside with the neighborhood kids. If he exerted himself too much, he would've had an asthma attack that would've killed him. He would've had to stay inside while being treated like china.

I didn't doubt that Steve wanted to do his part in the war, but in his mind, he needed to prove himself. I wanted to give him that chance, but I couldn't do it. It would be cruel. He would just get himself killed. If he had the serum though, the chance he would survive would be greater than it would have been without the serum.

I lifted my eyes up from the page. "Can we speak to him?"

The nurse looked to Dr. Erskine for confirmation before nodding, disappearing behind a curtain. She soon reappeared with the examiner and motioned back the way she had come.

Upon seeing the Doctor and I, Steve's eyes filled with fear. Was he afraid we would arrest him?

Dr. Erskine smiled warmly at him. "So, you want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis."

Steve frowned, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Doctor Abraham Erskine," he said, walking over to Steve to shake his hand. "My assistant, Ms. Greenwood, and I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve."

He spoke cautiously. "Steve Rogers."

Dr. Erskine motioned for the file and I handed it to him. He moved to the examination table, studying a page held in the file.

Steve studied Dr. Erskine's face. "Where are you from?"

"Queens. 73rd Street and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany."

Steve's expression became guarded.

"This troubles you?"

"No," he lied.

Dr. Erskine looked back at the file. "Where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Hmm? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities."

"That might not be the right file."

"Mr. Rogers, we don't care about the exams," I said. "It's the fact that even though you were rejected five times, you still wanted to keep trying."

He was still tense.

"So why are you so determined? Is it to kill Nazis like the Doctor asked?"

His eyes searched mine questioningly. "Is this a test?"

"Yes."

Part of the wall he threw up was being slowly torn down as he took a shaky breath. "I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

Someone with his childhood would know better than anyone what bullies can do.

"Well," Dr. Erskine said, "there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is a little guy, huh?"

There was no missing the hope held in Steve's eyes.

"We can offer you a chance," the Doctor said, walking out of the room. "Only a chance."

Steve and I followed behind him. "I'll take it," he said quickly.

"Good." Dr. Erskine stopped in front of the front desk. As he opened Steve's file, he picked up a stamp. "So where is the little guy from, actually?"

A small smile appeared on Steve's face. "Brooklyn."

He stamped the file, handing it to Steve. "Congratulations, soldier."

I observed Steve's face as he opened it, barely noticing Dr. Erskine walking away.

Steve let out a breath of disbelief as he stared at the stamp: 1A.

"If I were you, I'd get a good night's rest. Your training begins tomorrow." I wouldn't deny we made the right choice after I saw his joy-filled eyes, but would we one day regret our actions?


	2. AN

Even though chapter 2 of The First Keeper is still in the works, I decided awhile ago that I would create a timeline for you guys that would help you understand what is going on in the series and how various chapters of different books overlap. I will keep the information up to date and will post a new entry either with the release of a chapter or while I am still working on that particular chapter. As The First Keeper is only the first book in the series, I hope there isn't any confusion as to what is going on and when it happens. Almost all of the information I have gathered has come straight from Marvel Cinematic Universe Wikia and has been slightly altered to fit the series' plot. I hope you guys will find it helpful.

/timeline/entry/562189/The-Infinity-Keepers/


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